U.S. patent number 4,334,315 [Application Number 06/146,675] was granted by the patent office on 1982-06-08 for wireless transmitting and receiving systems including ear microphones.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Gen Engineering, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Kazutoshi Mizoi, Hiroshi Ono.
United States Patent |
4,334,315 |
Ono , et al. |
June 8, 1982 |
Wireless transmitting and receiving systems including ear
microphones
Abstract
A wireless transmitting and receiving system includes an ear
microphone of the vibration pick-up type for picking up
bone-conducted voice signals through an external auditory ear canal
wall of a wearer. A portable case is disposed adjacent the wearer's
ear and a wireless device is attached adjacent the wearer but
spaced from the portable case. A transmitter of a transmitting
circuit for transmitting the output signals of the ear microphone
is housed in the portable case. A receiver of a receiving circuit
is housed in the wireless device and receives signals from outside
the system. The transmitting and receiving circuits provide a
wireless connection between the portable case and the wireless
device permitting two-way communication through one ear of the
wearer.
Inventors: |
Ono; Hiroshi (Tokyo,
JP), Mizoi; Kazutoshi (Mie, JP) |
Assignee: |
Gen Engineering, Ltd.
(JP)
|
Family
ID: |
12989200 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/146,675 |
Filed: |
May 5, 1980 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 4, 1979 [JP] |
|
|
54-55096 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/11.1;
128/201.19; 381/151; 381/315; 381/326; 455/100; 455/351;
455/41.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B
1/385 (20130101); H04B 5/06 (20130101); H04B
7/14 (20130101); H04R 1/083 (20130101); H04R
1/105 (20130101); H04R 1/46 (20130101); H04B
2001/3866 (20130101); H04R 2460/13 (20130101); H04R
17/02 (20130101); H04R 2420/07 (20130101); H04R
1/1016 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04B
7/14 (20060101); H04R 1/00 (20060101); H04R
1/08 (20060101); H04R 1/10 (20060101); H04R
1/46 (20060101); H04B 5/00 (20060101); H04B
1/38 (20060101); H04R 17/02 (20060101); H04B
007/15 (); H04B 001/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;455/11,7,41,54,89,100,351
;179/17R,17E,17BC,17H,157,156R,102,182R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ng; Jin F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Roylance, Abrams, Berdo &
Farley
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wireless transmitting and receiving system for use in two-way
communication with a remote transmitter-receiver, comprising
an ear microphone for picking up bone-conducted voice signals
through an external auditory canal wall of one ear of a wearer
thereof;
a portable case having first mounting means for supporting said
portable case adjacent the one ear of the wearer, and housing a
first transmitter;
a wireless device having second mounting means for supporting said
wireless device adjacent the wearer but spaced from said portable
case and said ear microphone, and housing a second transmitter and
first and second receivers;
said transmitters and receivers forming a communication loop
including
a first link with said first transmitter for transmitting output
signals of said ear microphone, said second receiver for receiving
signals transmitted from said first transmitter and said second
transmitter for transmitting signals received by said second
receiver to the remote transmitter-receiver; and
a second link with said first receiver for receiving signals
transmitted from the remote transmitter-receiver;
whereby said first and second links provide a wireless connection
between said portable case and said wireless device and permit
wireless communication signals to be transmitted and received
between the one ear of the wearer in which said ear microphone is
mounted and the remote transmitter-receiver.
2. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
1, wherein said second link comprises a third transmitter for
transmitting output signals of said first receiver, a third
receiver receiving signals transmitted from said third transmitter,
and a speaker for acoustically converting output signals of said
third receiver; said third transmitter being housed in said
wireless device; said third receiver and said speaker being housed
in said portable case.
3. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
1, wherein said second link comprises a speaker housed in said
wireless device, the speaker acoustically converting output signals
of said first receiver to signals audible by the one ear of the
wearer in which said ear microphone is mounted and by the other ear
of the wearer.
4. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
1, wherein said second link comprises a loop antenna for
electromagnetically inducing output signals of said first receiver,
an induction coil electromagnetically coupled to said loop antenna,
and a speaker for acoustically converting output signals of said
induction coil; said antenna being connected to said wireless
device and extending adjacent to said portable case; said induction
coil and said speaker being housed in said portable case.
5. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
1, wherein said portable case is of ear hanging type.
6. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
1, wherein said portable case is of the external auditory canal
insertion type.
7. A wireless transmitting and receiving system for use in two-way
communication with a remote transmitter-receiver, comprising
an ear microphone for picking up bone-conducted voice signals
through an external auditory canal wall of one ear of a wearer
thereof;
a portable case having first mounting means for supporting said
portable case adjacent the one ear of the wearer, and housing a
first transmitter, a first receiver and a speaker;
a wireless device having second mounting means for supporting said
wireless device adjacent the wearer but spaced from said portable
case and said ear microphone, and housing a second receiver and a
second transmitter;
said transmitters, receivers and speaker forming a communication
loop including
a first link with said first transmitter for transmitting output
signals of said ear microphone to the remote transmitter-receiver;
and
a second link with said second receiver for receiving signals
transmitted from the remote transmitter-receiver, said second
transmitter for transmitting output signals of said second
receiver, said first receiver for receiving signals transmitted
from said second transmitter, and said speaker for acoustically
converting output signals of said first receiver;
whereby said first and second links provide a wireless connection
between said portable case and said wireless device and permit
wireless communication signals to be transmitted and received
between the one ear of the wearer in which said ear microphone is
mounted and the remote transmitter-receiver.
8. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
7, wherein said ear microphone is connected through a sound tube to
said portable case and sound outputs of said speaker are introduced
through said sound tube to said ear microphone.
9. A wireless transmitting and receiving system for use in two-way
communication with a remote transmitter-receiver, comprising
an ear microphone for picking up bone-conducted voice signals
through an external auditory canal wall of one ear of a wearer
thereof;
a portable case having first mounting means for supporting said
portable case adjacent the one ear of the wearer, and housing a
first transmitter, a speaker and an induction coil;
a wireless device having second mounting means for supporting said
wireless device adjacent the wearer but spaced from said portable
case and said ear microphone, housing a first receiver and having a
loop antenna connected thereto and extending adjacent to said
portable case;
said transmitter, speaker, induction coil, receiver and antenna
forming a communication loop including
a first link with said first transmitter for transmitting output
signals of said ear microphone to the remote transmitter-receiver;
and
a second link with said first receiver for receiving signals
transmitted from the remote transmitter-receiver, said antenna for
electromagnetically inducing output signals of said first receiver,
said induction coil electromagnetically coupled to said loop
antenna, and said speaker for acoustically converting output
signals of said induction coil;
whereby said first and second links provide a wireless connection
between said portable case and said wireless device and permit
communication signals to be transmitted and received between the
one ear of the wearer in which said ear microphone is mounted and
the remote transmitter-receiver.
10. A wireless transmitting and receiving system according to claim
9, wherein said ear microphone is connected through a sound tube to
said portable case and sound outputs of said speaker are introduced
through said sound tube to said ear microphone.
Description
The present invention relates to wireless transmitting and
receiving system including ear microphones of vibration pick-up
type. Such systems may comprise transmitting and receiving circuits
and are wireless with transmission and reception being attained
through one ear of an ear microphone wearer.
An ear microphone of vibration pick-up type (which is hereinafter
referred to as ear mic) may be fitted into the external auditory
canal of one ear of the wearer to pick up the voice signals (or
vibrations) conducted through his bones in the external auditory
canal wall. An ear mic as described above has been publicly
disclosed by Hiroski ONO, one of the inventors of the present
invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,262. This ear mic can be combined
with a speaker such as the usual earphone of sound pressure
type.
Arrangements to transmit and receive through a wireless system
(which includes the electromagnetic induction type) use the ear mic
as the transmitting system and the speaker as a receiving system.
In this system a lead wire for supplying the output of the ear mic
was connected to the usual wireless means such as two way radio, a
cord of the sound pressure type earphone was connected to the same
wireless means, the sound pressure type earphone was connected to
the ear mic, and the ear mic provided with the earphone was fitted
into the external auditory canal of one ear of a wearer. As the
result, although wireless communication of transmission and
reception was achieved, the noises of the lead wire and cord
extending from the ear mic provided with the earphone were picked
up by the ear mic because the ear mic was of vibration pick-up
type. Thus, it was found that the cord noises wirelessly
transmitted made the voice transmitted sound obscure. In addition,
this lead wire and cord connecting the ear mic, provided with the
earphone and fitted into the external auditory canal of one ear of
the wearer, to the wireless means attached to the waist or the like
of the wearer hindered free movement of the wearer.
According to the invention, there is provided a wireless
transmitting and receiving system comprising an ear microphone of
vibration pick-up type for picking up bone-conducted voice signals
through the external auditory canal wall of an ear microphone
wearer, a portable case supportable adjacent an ear of the wearer,
and a wireless device supportable adjacent the wearer but spaced
from the case and ear microphone. A transmitting circuit includes a
transmitter for transmitting output signals of the ear microphone
housed in the portable case. A receiving circuit includes a
receiver for receiving signals transmitted from outside the system
housed in the wireless device. The transmitting and receiving
circuits provide a wireless connection between the portable case
and the wireless device such that transmission and reception may be
achieved through the one ear of the wearer in which the ear
microphone is inserted.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, it is possible
to provide a wireless transmitting and receiving system using an
ear mic capable of meeting the following requirements:
(1) By using the ear mic in the transmitting circuit, noises can be
excluded and clear voice sounds can be transmitted when used under
highly noisy circumstances;
(2) By combining the ear mic with a speaker of the receiving
circuit, transmission and reception can be achieved through at
least one ear of the wearer leaving his hands free for doing
anything he wants;
(3) By employing in the transmitting and receiving circuits a
wireless system, the ear mic can avoid picking up the cord
noises;
(4) By using a wireless system, the wearer is allowed to freely
move; for example, the driver in a car in which the wireless system
is provided can drive the car feeling no limitation to his
movement, such car may be a wireless communication car, a patrol
car, or a telephone car and the like, which drivers operate with
part of the wireless system attached to their waists to permit them
to work freely while communicating with each other for instance on
a construction site;
(5) The wireless system may use a conventional FM transmitter,
receiver, transceiver, CB set, two way radio or the like, which are
readily available;
(6) During the operation of transmission and reception either of
the ears of the wearer may be left open to hear sounds from
outside, thus improving security to the wearer.
The present invention will be further described, by way of example,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
FIGS. 1 through 6 are block diagrams showing respective embodiments
of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a
portable transmitting and receiving case and wireless device
attached to the ear and the waist band of the wearer,
respectively;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of a portable
transmitting and receiving case of ear hanging type shown in FIG.
7;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 showing a
portable transmitting case of ear hanging type and the wireless
device arranged in a car;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of a portable
transmitting case of the ear hanging type shown in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 showing a
portable transmitting and receiving case fitted into the external
auditory canal and the wireless means provided with a loop antenna
housed in a breast pocket of the wearer; and
FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the portable transmitting and
receiving case shown in FIG. 11.
EMBODIMENT 1:
As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the transmitting circuit A-1
comprises a transmitter T, a receiver 1 for receiving signals
transmitted from the transmitter T, and a second transmitter 2 for
external transmission of the output signals of the receiver 1. The
transmitter T is housed in portable ear hanging case 3, and the
receiver 1 and second transmitter 2 are housed in a wireless device
4.
A receiving circuit B-1 comprises a receiver R, a transmitter 5 for
transmitting output signals of the receiver R, a second receiver 6
for receiving the signals transmitted from the transmitter 5, and a
speaker S for acoustically converting the output signals of the
second receiver 6 and supplying them as outputs. The receiver R and
transmitter 5 are housed in the wireless device 4. The second
receiver 6 and speaker S are housed in the ear hanging portable
case 3.
An ear microphone (EM) comprises a microphone body 7 loosely
inserted into the external auditory canal so as not to cause a
blocking effect of the canal, a vibration pick-up element 8 such as
a piezo-electric element supported by the body 7, and a sound
passage 9. The microphone body 7 is connected to the ear hanging
portable case 3 through a sound tube 10, which serves to introduce
the outputs of the sound pressure type speaker S to the microphone
body 7. The sound tube 10 contains therein a lead wire 11 for
supplying the electrical output of the pick-up element 8.
In the Figures, numerals 12A and 12B represent amplifiers, 13 an FM
modulator, 14 an antenna, 15 a power source, 16 a switch and V a
voice-operated controller. The wireless device 4 used in this
embodiment may comprise conventional two way radio combined with
the receiver and transmitter.
Bone-conducted voice signals picked up by the ear mic EM are
supplied through the lead wire 11 and are amplified by the
amplifier 12A, and then FM-modulated by the FM modulator 13, and
are transmitted by the transmitter T. The transmitted signals are
received by the receiver 1 and transmitted outside the system by
the second transmitter 2. The signals transmitted from outside the
system are received by the receiver R and again transmitted by the
transmitter 5. The transmitted signals of this receiving system are
received by the second receiver 6, amplified by the amplifier 12B
and acoustically converted by the speaker S. The sounds thus
produced are introduced through the sound tube 10 to the mic body 7
and are heard through the sound passage 9.
EMBODIMENT 2:
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 9 and 10, the transmitting
circuit A-1 is the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 1. A
receiving circuit B-2 includes a receiver R housed in the wireless
device 4 and a speaker S for acoustically converting the signals of
the receiver R. The wherein the output sounds are heard through the
ear into which the ear mic EM is inserted and the other ear of the
wearer. The wireless device 4 used in this embodiment may be a
conventional CB (citizen's band) set combined with the
receiver.
EMBODIMENT 3:
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 11 and 12, the transmitting
circuit is housed in a portable case, which is inserted into the
external auditory canal, and includes a transmitter T for
transmitting outside the system the output signal of the ear mic
EM.
The receiving circuit B-3 comprises a receiver R, a loop antenna 17
for electromagnetically inducing output signals of the receiver R,
an induction coil 18 electromagnetically coupled to the loop
antenna 17, and a speaker S for acoustically converting the output
signals of the induction coil 18. The receiver R is housed in the
wireless device 4. The loop antenna 17 is connected to the wireless
device 4 and extends adjacent to the portable case 3. The induction
coil 18 and speaker S are included in the portable case 3. The
wireless means used in this embodiment may be a conventional AF
receiver or the like.
The portion corresponding to the ear mic of the portable case may
be shielded with a sound passage 9 provided around the ear mic
EM.
In the transmitting circuit A-2 the outputs of the ear mic EM are
amplified, FM-modulated and directly transmitted outside the system
by the transmitter T.
In the receiving circuit B-3 the signals transmitted from outside
the system and and received by the receiver R are
electromagnetically induced by the loop antenna 17 in the induction
coil 18, amplified by the AF amplifier 12B, and then supplied as
output via the speaker S.
EMBODIMENT 4:
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the transmitting circuit A-1 is
the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and the receiving
circuit B-1 is the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
Therefore, the function of this embodiment is the same in the
transmitting line circuit A-1 as that in the embodiment of FIG. 1
and the same in the receiving circuit B-3 as that in the embodiment
of FIG. 3.
EMBODIMENT 5:
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the transmitting circuit A-2 is
the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 3 and the receiving
circuit B-1 is the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
Accordingly, the function of this embodiment the same in the
transmitting circuit A-2 as that in the embodiment of FIG. 3 and
same in the receiving circuit B-1 as that in the embodiment of FIG.
1.
EMBODIMENT 6:
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the transmitting circuit A-2 is
the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 3 and the receiving
circuit B-2 is the same as that of the embodiment of FIG. 2.
Accordingly, the function of this embodiment is same in the
transmitting circuit A-2 as that in the embodiment of FIG. 3 and
same in the receiving circuit B-2 as that in the embodiment of FIG.
2.
Though the present invention has been described with reference to
the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the portable
case 3 may be of ear hanging type shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, of the
external auditory canal insertion type shown in FIG. 12, or may be
of helmet type, spectacles frame type, or shoulder attachment
type.
While certain advantageous embodiments have been chosen to
illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein
without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims.
* * * * *